Accidents will happen

Today's news from the Health and Safety Executive:

"Employers are being urged to focus on real risk after seven workers lost their lives and 663 suffered a major injury while at work in Devon and Cornwall last year.  The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has asked business to rethink workplace safety provisions in the New Year after the number of deaths in Great Britain as a whole failed to show a significant fall in 2011/12.

"A total of 173 workers were killed at work in Great Britain last year, compared to 175 worker deaths during 2010/11. More than 23,000 workers also suffered a major injury. The seven deaths and 663 major injuries in Devon and Cornwall last year compare to three deaths and 665 major injuries in 2010/11. Another 2,202 workers in the region suffered injuries which required at least three days off work in 2011/12, compared to 2,366 in 2010/11.

"The latest provisional figures show that nationwide, on average, six in every million workers were killed while at work between April 2011 and March 2012."

It's now more than 18 months since a huge gas explosion at Falmouth failed to kill or injure anyone, and so that particular incident doesn't figure in the latest statistics.  I've been curious to know what caused it and so have been pestering the H&SE for more information:   "The joint investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service into the fire at Falmouth Docks in June 2011 has now been concluded. Following extensive examinations of equipment from the site, no specific causation of the fire could be identified. .

"HSE has issued two Improvement Notices relating to working practices at the site which have been complied with by A&P Falmouth Ltd.

" Working practices at the site have changed and the use and quantity of acetylene kept on site since the incident has been significantly reduced. HSE will not be taking any further enforcement action and the investigation is now closed."

So no-one prosecuted and the investigation called off without an understanding of what made the gas cylinder explode. If I worked in the docks I'd be worried.  These are the “improvement notices” – they go no further than calling for risk assessments:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/notices/notices/Notice_details.asp?SF=CN&SV=303394677

http://www.hse.gov.uk/notices/notices/Notice_details.asp?SF=CN&SV=303394702